Making your own costume can save money and is a terrific activity for children. Taking part in the creation of the costume–coming up with the idea, brainstorming supply ideas, searching for the final touch, can be a good learning experience. This costume is great if you plan to spend a lot of time dressed up or are attending an after trick-or-treat Halloween party. You can transform from the Ghost of Charlie Brown to simply being Charlie Brown. The following will provide you with the simple items for making this costume.

What You Will Need

• Yellow Polo Shirt or T-shirt
• Yellow Socks (optional–white can be used)
• Black Shorts or Pants
• Black Shoes
• Black Fabric Marker or self-stick felt material
• White Sheet (or large piece of white material)
• Scissors

How to Make Charlie Brown’s Outfit

Step 1: Draw or apply a thick zigzag line across the chest of the shirt to resemble that of Charlie Browns shirt. To use the self-stick felt material, cut out a zigzag, remove backing and apply the material to the shirt.

NOTE: You can also purchase a t-shirt from many online retailers including Amazon and 80stees.com The shirts vary in price from $10 to over $30. To keep cost low you could make your own if you don’t plan on wearing it after Halloween. Using the self-stick material will allow the wearer to remove the stripe after Halloween and reuse the yellow shirt.

Making the Ghost of Charlie Brown

Step 2: Take your white sheet or material and drape it over your head. Have a friend help you even it out over your body and gently mark the eye holes.

Step 3: Remove the sheet and cut out the eye holes. On the interior of the sheet mark the eye holes using a marker. Just simply mark around them to help you locate them when putting the sheet on.

Step 4: Remember, in the classic “It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown,”  by Charles Schulz, Charlie Brown had trouble with the scissors. Be sure to cut several holes throughout the sheet to replicate his mistakes. The circles around the eye holes on the interior of the sheet will keep the eye holes distinguishable from the rest of the holes.

Step 5: Assemble your costume by putting on the shorts, shirt, socks and shoes. Then place the sheet over top of your costume.

NOTE: Adding the Ghost element provides an additional dimension to the costume. If you don’t have a white sheet you can simply go as Charlie Brown. Just don’t be surprised if you end up with a few rocks in your candy bag!

This costume is great because you are dressed up as Charlie Brown’s ghost as in the movie and then if you are attending a party following trick-or-treating you can simply become Charlie Brown. It is also simple to wear because it is basically normal clothing. This makes a great costume for the boy who fusses at just about everything.